The world’s first 3-D printed car has moved from paper to reality, hitting the streets of Brooklyn for a historic test drive.
The “Strati” was developed and built by Phoenix-based Local Motors, the New York Daily News reported. The model is a two-seater with the looks of a dune buggy — and technology that’s straight out of the pages of a science fiction book.
“This is about simplification and streamlining,” Jay Rogers, co-founder and CEO of Local Motors, told the Daily News. “All this material you’re looking at is about $3,500.”
The carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic, when fashioned in the form of the car, weighs about 1,800 pounds. By comparison, a 2014 Mazda Miata weighs about 2,500 pounds, the Daily News reported.
The entire body of the car is printed, along with its four fenders, and it takes about 44 hours to assemble. There are no seat belts or airbags, no roof, no side windows — but speeds can hit at 50 miles per hour. The battery, meanwhile, takes about 3½ hours to fully recharge.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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